International disputes: large section of boundary with Yemen not defined; status of boundary with UAE not final; Kuwaiti ownership of Qaruh and Umm al Maradim islands is disputed by Saudi Arabia
Climate: harsh, dry desert with great extremes of temperature
Terrain: mostly uninhabited, sandy desert
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper
Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 39% forest and woodland: 1% other: 59%
Irrigated land: 4,350 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues: desertification; depletion of underground water
resources; the lack of perennial rivers or permanent water bodies has
prompted the development of extensive seawater desalination
facilities; coastal pollution from oil spills
natural hazards: frequent sand and dust storms
international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes,
Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea
Note: extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great
leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and
Suez Canal
@Saudi Arabia:People
Population: 18,729,576 (July 1995 est.) note: a 1992 census gives the number of Saudi citizens as 12,304,835 and the number of residents who are not citizens as 4,624,459